The Life
by supernaturalsammy67
Summary: Secret Santa fic from the CWESS site. Fic for Tammitam. Limp Sam, 16. On his very first hunt, can he make it...or will something linger, this time that Dean nor John can fight. Protective Dean/john.


**Alright this fic is Secret Santa Challenged and I luckily got the Fabulous Tammitam who has made quite a name for herself with her talents!**

**I just hope I can pass this fic off to you as best as I can and that it doesn't resemble a flea bitten cat on steroids...**

**Your idea's were wonderful hun and I hope, at least they are slightly similiar connections to what I sadly wrote and what you wonderfully expected!**

**Thanks to BlueEyedDemonLiz for all the help and sort outs and...questions and...well EVERYTHING! Merry Christmas!**

**WARNING: Im an idiot hun...sorry to disapoint x**

**Summary- according to Tammitams wondrous words : Some Limp Sam, pre-series, 16-ish, Dean and John don't know what's wrong with him, but Sammy's fighting something in his mind, Dean and John have to figuire out what and help him before it's too late.**

**And ofcourse- the course I decided to take. :o which will soon be read, thought about and the burned at the stake. I tried to make it as layered and proffessional as I could, Checking and going over, changing bits etc...many times and tried to make it as long as possible. But I'm a petty meager ant and the world is sticky tape...alas...no hope.**

**Sorry about anything I get wrong, and the geography I do not know...anything...the world's round, right?**

"Sammy?"

The shaggy haired teen turned toward his brother in the doorway of their new 'accomodation', a sore excuse of a 'house' in the middle of Colorado winter, Sam frowned.

"Were not leaving already are we?...I thought we had until tomorrow morning, I have an assignment to hand in to Mrs-"

"We won't be coming back kiddo'...you won't need to do that" Earnest green gazed onto Sam, his tone soft and low, he knew how much Sam loved this town- the white picket fences, the cheery mid-teenagers gossiping about dates and outfits and not what's useful to kill a werewolf or how to hunt in the dark efficiently.

"I'm sorry Sammy" Dean hung his head, the near 21 year old already reaching full maturity with his broad shoulders and strong build, short gelled spiked hair and that cheeky grin growing into full bloom that drove the ladies wild, any age, but he was still Sammy's big brother and ever since Sam and their father had been having bouts of arguments recently Dean had continued to stand by his brother yet still managing to respect their dad.

"S'okay...do we have to leave now though?" Sam's voice had deepened over the summer dramatically his own height shimmying upto his brothers with just a few inches to spare, hair in a shaggy moppy mess atop his head and his own shoulders becoming broader and his frame wider gaining muscle alongside his brothers.

Sammy was becoming 'Sam' and Dean could see a glimpse of the man Sammy would become, the ever flashing dimples were deepening from chubby cheeks and a toner more defined face growing from his childhood mask.

He was gaining in strength and agility and he was exactly the right age for...

Well, when Dean was 16 he had his very first hunt, and now Sammy was fully trained and 'ready' he was going to experience his own start in the already dispised lifestyle.

"'Fraid so Sammy, Dad's packing the truck now, were following in the Impala until morning and heading on out after dark..."

Dean had been given the beloved Chevy for his 18th and now whenever they trecked across the country for hunts it was always the brother's in the Chevy and Dad in the truck.

Made things a lot easier. John had said 'It makes you boy's independant' whilst flashing a shy smile at Sam. And Sam _knew _what that meant.

'Makes _you_ ready to hunt' And boy didn't John want good hunter's in the family.

Sam nodded slowly at Dean, heard their dad shout something downstairs and shut his history book, ditched his pen and left the six page essay on Native American history of Colorado on his bed.

He wouldn't be needing that where he was going anyway.

Sam grabbed his thermal jacket, pulled on his shoes and headed after his brother, his stuff was already packed downstairs and just his schoolwork and the clothes he was wearing in his room.

John was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Load up Sammy, weve got a long night ahead of us tomorrow, I want you prepared" He clapped his hands in thick black gloves and turned, stopping slightly.

"Oh, good work on your History test yesterday. Your teacher left a message...I don't think you'd have needed to hand in that essay anyway...you know enough"

His dad winked and beckoned to Dean to load and check the weapons in the Chevy whilst Sam carried the last few duffles out to the slowly drifting snow.

Sam saw that wink, and John _never _complimented him on school work. Maybe this time...he was genuinly suprised?

Sam shook the thoughts and shut the door of their recent 'home'. Although they never stayed long enough for it to be ever become a home. He'd lost that before he was even one year old.

The light's were off, the door locked and he was staring up at the roof of the old house from the Impala side window. He felt the car rock as Dean got in, instantly turning on the heat and blowing into cupped hands in front of his face.

"Friggin' freezing man...hope you packed a lot a' layers" Dean raised his eyebrows, starting the V8 engine as their dad turned off onto the main road.

Sam remained quiet on the drive, all he knew was they were headed further South still in the Colorado state, so the weather would stick and that John was going to let him research and track the hunt, then kill it...all by himself.

Sam being the bright bean he was, had already done some research conferring it with John and Dean- he knew they'd picked him an easy hunt and he'd seen the coroner reports and the victim's photgrapghs. They'd all drowned.

And the bodies were found no-where near a lake, river or stream. But it _was_ the same family- all living in a converted cabin-house beside the edge of the woods.

He'd shown the evidence to John, read the MO, and they'd decided on vengeful spirit considering the long pre-Indian history that used to rule that area...

_Oh..._

Now it clicked, Sam's history test...his Dad's good mood- it was all for the sake of the hunt, the preparation- the research...the training...

Sam finally understood why his dad actually commented on the test, and he felt more than a little used.

There was more to life than hunting, or did nobody else realize that.

The Native Americans ruled the woodland in acres, their own tribes criss crossed all over the State, probably several tribes alone in the area the cabin was built, and now been converted it was sure to piss off more than a little the once Native landowners- not to mention the whole friggin Indian massacres that took place and how they were forced into reservations.

Yeah, Sam thought that just might cause an angry spirit.

But Sam knew the ropes he knew he just had to find the bones, find who was doing the vengeful killing or perform a cleansing ritual to banish the spirit for good.

Simple.

"Hey Sammy?"

"Huh?" Dim green hazels flicked to Dean. "Sorry, I was just thinking..."

"Well man, don't think too much...you gotta' get your head in the game, get a clear sight for tomorrow"

"I know, just thinking about the hunt is all"

Dean tensed. "if ya'...you know...think it's too soon, too sudden, I'll tell dad we'll call this whole thing off..." Dean swept his eyes over his younger brother.

_He's still a kid dad..._

"No, no it's okay.I'm old enough...right, I should be able to do this"

"Should?" Dean blinked, steady to follow his dad's red tail lights. "Sam, _can _you do this?"

"Yeah..." Sam swallowed. "Yeah I think I can"

"Think?...Sammy you gotta' be ready or this sonofabitch will take you down..." Sam tried to ignore his brothers panicked tone and the shifty eye's.

"I am ready, I can do this Dean...I'm just nervous...what if I screw up?"

"You won't man, and me and dad will be right there watching you- If anything get's a little too much, something doesn't fall right I'm right in there with you. Nothing bad will happen to you...not ever Sammy"

There was a pause as Sam nodded, than he chuckled and laughed at Dean. "It's Sam, Dean"

"Yeah yeah...say that again when your sprouting a full beard young man" The tone was loose and playful and Sam rolled his eye's with a laugh, dimples staining his cheeks.

It carried on like that until after midnight, the cold Colorado weather seeped into the car and soon the brother's could see their breath's. Dean turned the heat on full and stayed clear of the sharp icy backroads that hadn't been salted.

They'd stopped for a snack and breakfast at a roadside diner around three and boosted up on coffee then set back on the task of driving through the night to make their destination.

Sam had fallen asleep some time after that, blanket haphazardly pulled over him and head resting back wedged between the window and his own seat.

Dean couldn't help the full shining grin when Sam turned and faced his way- his little brother's softly parted lips breathing and his chest under the knitted wool rising and falling. A sadness crept into the thought that Sammy _shouldn't _be hunting when he looked so young, so vulnerable like this...

You can't protect them forever...

Sam's eye's didn't flutter open until the early rays of sunshine gleamed on his face as the roads left the thick woodland and started skirting the towns.

The soft morning sun rose and bled into the sky it's bright pink's and oranges blushing the clouds and spilling over the snowy top mountains.

Sam grunted at the back of his throat, stretched and yawned, pulling the blanket over him and hiding in it's warmth.

"Mornin' dopey...how was the nap?" Sam saw his reflection in Dean's sunglasses and sheltered his eye's from the glare of the sun.

"Not long enough" He croaked.

"Dude it's nearly eight, you had plenty..."

Rubbing his eye's with his fist Sam yawned again and sat back in his seat, eye's staring out ahead.

"Dean...where's dad?" Noting the empty pick up missing from in front of them.

"He's meeting us there, this Hillpine lodge or something...said he went to get 'ammo' probably code for a buddy of his, he had a friend further up here awhile back...I think"

Sam huffed. "Erm...'kay...wake me up when you find the ...thing..." Sam shifted to a more horizontal position.

"Ah ahh Sammy...were already in town- we need supply's and you need to check the gun's, salt, lighter fluid, everything you'll need..."

Sam groaned as Dean pulled up outside the few shops the town had and nudged at Sam to go, giving him a handfull of cash.

15 minutes later Sam returned with three brown paper bags from the different stores, a beaming smile on his face as he approached the impala and opened the passenger door with a gust of icy wind.

"What the hell did you buy?"

Sam smiled at Dean shocked expression.

"Evveerrything...even some god damn ancient wood that's been blessed or something..._and _I got you breakfast..." Sam handed Sam a giant bag or M&M's. "With rocksalt, lighter fliud, shotgun shells and even some pure silver to melt down..."

Dean couldn't hide the pride in his voice. "How the hell did you manage all that? what, you stealing now?" He joked, popping a handfull of candy into his mouth.

"Dean..." Sam shot his brother a 'look'. "No, the herbalist said the wood was blessed and protected on Native Indian beliefs, everything else from the grocery store and the shell's from 'Old Bob's Lockbox'...a gunstore round back- he's got an old Winchester in there dad might like too...and the silver...that's a free gift courtesy of 'Our Lady Of The Hill's' church across _from _the gunstore no doubt...they were giving out crucifixe's and remiding the citizens to 'confess their sin's' and 'don't forget church on sunday'

I swiped around five of em, said I had four sisters..."

The brother's laughed.

"Lyin' to a nun...well I never Samuel" Dean mock gasped and started the engine.

"Shut up Dean, they come in handy...especially the silver"

Dean smiled to himself. Sam was showing to be a damn fine hunter and he'd sure prove himself tonight. Or Dean sure hoped so.

- - - - - - - - - -

The brothers arrived at Pine Lodge just after Ten, stopping at the diner for donuts and Coffee.

It was a spacious room, three queen's infact and Sam suposed they were prizing him up, giving him a good time for his first hunt, that's _if _he didn't mess up ofcourse.

Sure he'd had the occasional help in a hunt, readying the weapons, stood by and watched, even taken out a spirit that couldn't face it's own reflection- that was easy.

The spirit wasn't even causing any harm.

When John arrived at their room it was well after one in the afternoon and Sam was feeling the butterflies.

"You ready for this Sammy? we'll head out after eleven and you can set up, it's not far past the edge of town but the wood's are pretty thick, you up to it?" John asked.

Sam breathed out a shuddering breath. "Yeah...I-I'm ready..." He smiled, although he could still feel his heart pounding and the nervous shake of his hands.

Turn's out ten hours pass relatively quickly when your terrified.

Over the day they'd planned the best course of action for Sam to take, the family had always been found on the same patch of land away from the cabin, so that was a start, Sam was loaded with Rocksalt rounds and matches and lighter fluid.

They'd found a burial ground near the family's cabin and guessed one of the sprits must've come back and taken revenge, just the matter of finding the bones- and which grave if it was marked, the spirit belonged to because since all the victims were now stiff's, including their family. That made identifying it easier.

They crossed the most common Indian tribe of the area, either the Kumeyaay of the Colorado river tribes or a neighbouring band to fit in with a banishing ritual incase they couldn't find the bones, and set Sam up so he knew the words backwards- they didn't have to go over that very much, the kid was a sure start genius- and made sure if any detail went wrong Sam would know the drill.

Duck and cover, no matter what. Dad and Dean will take care of it.

I just get outta' there.

"Sam?"

Sam jumped as Dean shook his shoulder, eye's sincere. "It's time"

"Oh..okay..." Sam sharply inhaled a breath.

What made matter's even creepier was the fact John was waiting with a confident smile raising Sam's own expectations as he let Sam and Dean lead- this time following the boys.

Dean started the engine and set off into the already dark sky, it twinkled with stars making it a deep blue and the moon shone on the road they took.

Sam saw John's pick up follow them and his stomach sank.

This was really it...he was going it alone.

"Sam" Dean licked his lips, stared straight ahead. "Remember to shoot the bitch whenever it get's close...never loose your weapon, if you have to banish her as soon as you get there, don't let it get the drop on you"

Sam felt his heart stutter. "I know...I won't Dean"

Still Dean's worry over how things could go wrong made Sam anxious.

When they actually turned up at the cabin a mere twenty minutes later, Sam felt his heart literally constrict.

"Stay put, I wanna' talk to dad..."

Dean hadn't said much the whole ride and judging by how scared Sam felt, Dean must be swimming in it.

"Dean wait-"

But the door had arlready slammed shut.

Sam tried to listen to what Dean was saying, but it looked pretty heated.

"Dad, Sam's not ready...this doesn't feel right..."

"Dean, calm down...Sam can handly this, a simple salt 'n' burn or he just cleanses it, he'll be fine Dean. he's a fighter"

"No dad, the case...something doesn't add up, how can a spirit cause this much damage and not leave any EMF, or not have any witnesses, dad-"

"Dad?..."

"Sam, I said stay put" Dean sighed.

"Hey, kiddo...you ready for this?" John clapped his hands together. "it's an easy hunt Dean, and were the cavalry...it'll be okay"

Sam headed over after John to load his .45 with Rocksalt rounds and keep the spare shell's in his pocket, he'd memorized the banishment ritual and all he had to do was...face the enemy.

"Good luck son" John winked and ruffled his hair, Dean stood back, that ever needing glance gazing into Sam.

"Be careful bro'..."

- - - - - - - - -

Breath's puffed in a white mist in front of his face and the grass beneath his feet tugged and clotted on his boots, frozen stiff.

The barrel of his .45 felt like ice but he held on until he couldn't feel his fingers.

_Banishment ritual...check...got the shell's...check...don't drop the gun...check...matches...shit!...oh yeah...check, phew...erm...stand over the damn grass...yeah near where they found the dround victims...peachy...Sam, shut up!_

_oh..._

Sam inhaled sharply swearing the temperature had dropped or maybe it had just seeped through his shoes and thermal.

_Wait...shit!_

"SAMMY!"

Sam turned and fired off a round at the black floating figuire, it didn't shriek and it certainly didn't dissapate.

John held Dean back once Sam fired, he knew the kid could defend himself. But when the spirit didn't disposite...

Sam stumbled back, heels digging through stiff leaves and twigs. He reloaded and fired off another road the the black translucent form never wavered.

_Shit!...oh...oh Banishment!...say it...say it Sam!_

"Expello Mortis Deletrius-"

_Surely it should of reacted even from that...shit...what the hell!_

The black shape loomed in front of Sam and with a whoosh swept forward straight at Sam.

"SAM!" John and Dean ran forward, both their gun's aimed and ready when it moved from firing range of Sammy.

The figuire advanced and collided into Sam, sudden chilling cold flushed his body, his head hurt and his chest felt frozen as he gasped and fell as the force passed through him, dissolving at his back.

Sam ungracefully fell where he stood, eye's slid shut and the .45 dropped from his limp grasp.

"NOOOOOO...SAMMY!"

Skidding to a halt near Sam Dean felt for a pulse, fast but okay...he checked for any wounds but he only felt the chill on Sam's skin as John scanned around them, his ivory handled automatic ready to fire as soon as the thing came back.

One thing was for certain, that was _not _a spirit.

Shit!

"Sammy?...Sam?...hey, wake up pal..." John tried to ignore the quiver in his own son's voice and desperatley tried not to wince at the pallor of his youngest's skin.

"Dean move over"

John forcefully grasped Sam's shoulder's and squeezed. "Sam...you wake up right now! that's an order"

"Dad, is he breathing?" Wide eye's locked on John.

John pressed his palm over Sam's mouth, frowned and leaned closer to hear Sam's raspy breath's.

"Sammy?" Dean's voice wobbled.

Sam's eye's fluttered beneath his lids. They opened to slits, then he squeezed them closed and turned his head to the side.

"Ahh...guh..."

"Sammy?"

"Dean?...what happened?" Sam grated.

"Lie still Sammy, does anything hurt?" His dad commanded.

Sam frowned then said. "No..."

John frowned, Dean and himself each grabbed one of Sam's arms and hefted him up, slowly.

"Dad, what the hell happened?...that was _Not _a spirit" Dean tensed as Sam's head rolled back on his shoulders. "Hey! Sammy...stay with us"

"We'll talk later Dean..."

At Dean's hard stare, John grated. "Later...Dean"

They loaded a limp and groggy Sam into John's pick up, an argument almost sprouting up when Dean wanted _needed _Sammy in the Chevy.

"This hunt end's now, were leaving dad. We'll finish it when we know Sam's fine"

A slammed car door later, John huffed and got in his truck, his youngest safely bundled and tucked in on the backseat.

- - - - - - - -

Sam woke to hushed angry voices, they wavered and wobbled in his hearing and he tensed and twinged his body to get some feeling back.

He still felt cold, a vauge blackness that numbed his core and ebbed inside of him. Something felt off...

But he focused his energy on the raised voices, picking up on a very pissed older brother and blinked his eye's open.

"You had no right holding me back! You could tell it wasn't even a spirit and you let him go out there, practically defenceless!"

"Don't you dare blame me for this Dean, none of us expected what happened...you think I'd let your brother go out there on his own like that! I'd researched this hunt back to front, you think I'd put my own son in harm's way without knowing he could take care of himself!"

"No dad, because that's what happened...some supernatural sonofabitch got it's hooks into Sam because of us! we should've known, hell I knew something didn't add up with this hunt...as if there wasn't any witnesses to a freakin' spirit!"

"keep your voice down Dean, you'll wake him"

Sam sat up, albeit slowly and stiffly. "Dad...?"

John's warm hands caressed Sam's face and concerned hazels focused in on Sam. "Hey kiddo' you were out for some time...you feelin' okay?"

Sam saw Dean stood defiantly at the end of his bed and glanced back at his dad.

"It didn't react to the banishing...or the Rocksalt. Dad m'sorry..."

Dean piped up. "Hey, don't be sorry Sammy...none of this was your fault. None, do you understand me?"

Sam felt the tension between Dean and his father and he more than felt John's stare at his older brother.

"It wasn't a spirit Sammy, we didn't know" John said sadly.

"It was...black and...it wasn't corporeal but I felt it go through me, it was cold. I didn't see a face...it looked like smoke, or mist or something..."

John's eye's widened. "Like smoke?...you sure Sammy?"

Sam nodded. "It just came right at me...didn't hurt or anything just...what did happen?" Sam's eyebrows knitted.

"Knocked you out man" Dean said with a nervous chuckle.

"Get some rest Sam, it's nearly dawn anyway. Your brother and me have a few things to checkout"

John raised his eyebrows and gestured for Dean to follow him.

As soon as Sam's head hit the pillow he was out.

John opened the newspaper, some coroner's reports and brought out all the books they'd been reading and checking through the night before with Sam.

"Were gonna' go back and find every god damned peice of information on this bastard we can, then we end it. Understand?"

Dean nodded.

No complaints there.

- - - - - - - -

_The ground was stiff and frozen under his feet._

_the air whistled around him, the branches above him smacking together and clicking and creaking in the breeze._

_White puff's of ice sealed around him when he breathed._

_The tree's suddenly stood still, the breeze stopped and silence set around him._

_His heart beat pulsed around his body, throbbing in his fingertrips, the gun held tight. Tighter._

_A harsh grate of breath exploded behind him and Sam turned, spun, eye's wide and breath stuck in his throat._

_A gasp parted his mouth as the shadow darkened, the air frizzled around him as the shape leaned forward._

_Tight, constricting pain squeezed his heart as the shadow grew over him. His lungs suddenly stopped aiding him oxygen and the ground beneath him grew colder, the ice snaking up his legs and freezing the blood in his veins._

_Sam couldn't breathe, his lungs burned and the pressure on his chest grew._

_The figure morphed and shivered under the moonlight and stabbing pain assaulted Sam's chest._

_He couldn't breathe, his chest cramped and the force pushed and pressed unrelentless._

"Sam!"

Sam came to with a choked gasp, eye's flicking open as Dean's concerned gaze stared at him. "S'okay...just a nightmare Sammy"

Sam blinked, heart pounding and chest heaving.

"Sam...? Calm down man, it's over"

Sam nodded as Dean squeezed his shoulder.

- - - - - - - - -

It happened again over the next few nights, the nightmare replayed as Sam slept gaining in vivid intensity until he woke sweatingt, shaking and ready to scream for his brother.

John and Dean were no-where near finding exactly what had happened to Sam or exactly what it was that attacked him. But they were determined and if there was any trait of a Winchester it was determination... well that and being god damned stubborn.

Over the days the nightmare grew, Sam felt his chest ache with a vengeance. He'd noticed a deep bruise spreading over his ribs and outward getting a darker red and purple as the days went on and odd red scratches on his legs.

He'd thought about the dream but surely they couldn't be connected, could they?

- - - - - - - - - -

"Hey Sammy...we'll be gone for a few hours, salt the doors and windows. We'll check in"

Dean and John left for the evening, a few lined up interviews with a friend of a friend who 'knew' the victims was in order to somehow peice together this case, they'd at least found and ruled out it was most definatley not a ghost, ghoul or spirit.

That was for sure.

As the motel door closed, Sam followed it along with a salt line and did the same on the windows.

The motel T.V. was good and Sam got all of...three channels. Great.

Sam had been alone for over an hour and he still hadn't heard from his from his dad or his brother.

Maybe something had happened?...They're dad always checked in no matter what.

The phone suddenly rang in the quiet room and Sam felt like someone had screamed in his ear.

Eagerly picking up the phone, Sam waited for Dean's cocky laugh or "Ya' bored there yet with no adult entertainment?".

All Sam got was a line of static and Dean's wobbly voice. "Sammy...something's...it's Dad..." Dean hicupped a sob.

Tears formed in Sam's eye's and a lump wedged in his throat so tight it stung.

"No..." Sam whispered.

Suddenly the door clicked behind him and Dean entered, arm's full of take-out. The smile giving way to a shocked worried expression when he saw Sam's terrified gaze.

"Sammy?"

Sam's throat dried and he forced out. "Dad?"

John bumped into Dean under the doorway and glanced at Sam, back at Dean and frowned staring at Sam again. "Sammy?...you okay?"

Sam parted his mouth in an 'O' and dropped the phone. "Y-you just called..." Sam stuttered.

"What are you talking about? I've been in the car with dad. We didn't call-finished up early" Dean looked at the phone on the floor, then back to Sam. "What happened?"

John surged forward to check the phone line. "Static" was his comfirmation.

"You called...sounded real upset, said something happened...that Dad..." Sam pleaded scared eye's to their father. "I swear"

John wrapped an arm around Sam. "Don't worry Sammy. Nothing's happening to us. Were gonna' be fine"

John glanced at Dean they shared a 'look'.

After Sam went to sleep that night. Dean and John had a very long talk.

"That lady swore she didn't see anything though dad, how could it be a demon? your theory doesn't add up"

"We saw it and Sam could see it because we knew it was there. Maybe it just appears to the one's it attacks"

John swirled his Whiskey in his glass and looked earnestly at Dean, voices kept low. "Maybe it's not even a demon, but Sam said 'smoke'..."

Dean licked his lips. "Don't you think it's weird that the family _were _afraid of drowning though? As in worst fear. From an incident in...er..."

"Yeah, that was weird...the whole family just happened to survive their car trapping them underwater and they just happen to die of the same fear...I don't know, maybe some sort of spirit latching onto fear, killing the family-possibly could've latched onto the family itself"

"No, it wasn't a spirit. We know that. But...do you know of a demon that doesn't need to be corporeal or possess someone to kill?"

John shook his head. "I'll call a friend" He paused. "Sam's been having a lot of nightmare's though recently, and the whole 'phone call' today Dean...that aint right. Sam's a tough kid and he don't lie..."

"I know. Did you see how scared he was when he though something had happened to you, when he thought..." Dean's eye's widened. "Sam's afraid!"

John blinked.

"Sam's afraid of loosing you, or loosing me...the nightmares! That thing that attacked him, the way that family died. It's killing them by their worst fear..."

John nodded. "If that's true, why has Sam been having 'nightmares' and not actually living this out, like the family did..."

"They didn't die right away- the reports said something about old bruises"

"That could've happened through anything"

"Not on every victim..." His voice softened. "And not on Sammy..."

"What?" John asked.

Dean sighed. "I should've caught on- the other night Sam came outta' the shower, he had this.." Dean gestured with his hands over his chest. "Reddish deep bruise...I thought it was because of the hunt, when he fell- you know how spirit's leave marks...there so friggin' cold..."

"Except, this isn't a spirit. When were you gonna' tell me about this?...you notice something's wrong with your brother, tell me"

"I didn't know dad. Look, something is affecting Sammy...we've gotta' get to the bottom of it"

John nodded. "And fast"

- - - - - - - - - -

"Sammy, I'm getting breakfast, anything ya' want?"

"No I'm good thanks"

Dean nodded, eerily cheery and shut the door.

Sam followed Dean with his gaze through the window, and over the road to the diner.

Someone in a long black leather jacket watched Dean from the carpark and followed him in.

Sam frowned.

A flicker caught his eye in the diner and he squinted. Orange flames licked the pink curtains and spread blackening the windows and reaching across the table.

"DEAN"

Sam tried to run for the door but a firm grip held onto his hand, sqeezing his wrist.

Sam could hear screaming and smoke began to pour from the roof and above the doorway.

Nobody came out.

Dean didn't come out.

"No"

The whole diner was up in flames, escaping onto the roof and swelling the building. A red glow burst from one of the windows and all Sam saw inside was charred burnt cupborads and tables.

"DEAN!"

Sam pulled against the hold but it just got tighter, his fingers felt numb.

One of the windows exploded, glass and fire spread from it's confinement and littered the parking lot.

"NO!"

The edges of his visions blackened and he felt himself being shook.

"SAM!"

Sam gasped for breath when Dean's face hovered above his own. "Wake up! it's a nightmare Sam...your alright! I'm fine!"

Sam sat up slowly, sweat dripped down the side of his face and his heart thudded against his ribs, breaths in shallow gasps.

"D-Dean...your safe..." He heaved.

Dean nodded and held his brother close. "I'm fine Sammy, so's dad"

Dean tried to hide the shock when he saw Sam's wrists bruised in the shape of a hand print.

- - - - - - -

"Dad, weve got to get to the bottom of this, Sam's getting worse"

John nodded. "Went to the Library in the next town over, found this..."

He handed the papers to Dean.

"Fear demon?...you think this is what attacked Sammy?"

"keep reading..." John said and judging by the sound of his voice, it wasn't good"

Dean scanned through the pages. "Demonic spirit, latches onto it's victims...causes hallucinations, vivid dreams...doesn't kill them straight away...huh...can take day's or weeks for the full effects to become prominent...leaves strange bruises or marks on the victims body and wears it down...making the victim re-live a fear until..." Dean swallowed.

"Until they can't take it anymore..." John finished. "Problem is, _what _is Sam's fear?"

Dean snorted. "Your joking right? in our business, I know about a dozen..."

"What about the nightmares?..."

"He said I was in the diner across the street, caught on fire and I didn't get out...he couldn't get to me because something had a hold of him..."

"Something...?"

"Yeah, some kind of force holding him back- made the fear that much more real I spose- left the marks to show anyway, on his wrist. Dad we need to kill this thing...now"

"It won't be as easy as that..." John handed Dean an old text book with no cover and opened to the marked page. "I called my friend, Bobby...he said in order to kill it, you have to actually overcome the fear, challenge it in it's own game and it won't have any power over you. Nobody's ever overcome their fear though...so it's still alive"

Dean sighed. "Course, it's gotta' be so friggin' cliche...Isn't there any way we can help him?"

John frowned. "Help him by being there, were behind him no matter what, maybe convince him it's not real..."

"yeah, cos' that's so friggin' easy"

"Dean" John warned.

"Weve just got to make him believe"

"DEAN!"

"Oh crap...it's happening again"

Dean ran to Sam's bed, his brother was sat up, shoulder's shaking, eye's wide open staring at the corner of the room.

The look on Sam's face made Dean follow his stare...but there was nothing there.

"Not again..." Dean mumbled. "SAM! hey...it's not real, Sam there's nothing there!"

Sam's eye's widened as he reached out to hold Dean's sleeve. His gaze flicking up and down and across the room.

"It's everywhere..." He whispered.

"Sam...? Sam look at me. It's not real, do you hear me? It's. Not. Real!"

Sam looked into Dean's eye's and saw the orange glare on his brother's skin, saw the flame's flicker in his eye's.

"Dean...weve got to leave...please"

Sam's plea's broke his heart, but what Sam saw wasn't real. He had to beat this.

"Listen to me Sam, I'm not letting this thing have you. I won't. It's not real...it's a fear demon. Sam please look at me!"

Sam's eye's flickered all around hun, his form seeming to shrink. "Dean...get dad, we have to leave!"

"Dad's fine Sammy, I'm fine. Your fine! Please...face it, feel it Sam it's not real!"

But Sam _could _feel it, he felt the heat blister at his skin as the inferno grew, the saw Dean inches before the flames, he couldn't see his dad, not anymore.

He trembled as Dean spoke.

"Sam...were leaving..." Dean's monotone voice scared the shit out of him.

"Dean?" The roaring of the flames blurred out his brother's words.

Dean stared at Sam, hard through, stood straight and turned in the room, closing the door behind him sealing Sam's exit when the flames quickly crossed the escape.

_Dean had walked away..._

_Dean...left..._

"NO...Dean don't go!...DON'T LEAVE ME!"

Sam's scream stopped Dean's heart.

"Sam I'm not leaving" Although Sam's own petrified eye's lingered on the motel door...it appeared he couldn't even see Dean anymore.

"Dean please..." Sam sobbed.

"Sam I'm right here..." Dean rubbed a hand through his hair. "DAD!... dad!"

John hastilly hung up the phone. "Dean?"

"He can't even see me anymore...he can't hear me, what the hell do I do?!"

John made his way over to Sam, grasping his shoulder, he shook them hard. "Sammy!... Sam!"

Sam contined to writhe away from the non-existant flames and squeezed his eye's shut.

Dean raised his hand forward and touched Sam's cheek. "Sammy...it's not real"

Sam's eye's snapped open. "Dean?"

His brothers form wavered for a second, blinking in and then dissappearing. His voice echoed along with Sam's blurred vision.

He couldn't tell what was real anymore.

_"Sammy"_

_"Not real...not real...not real..."_

"Sam, were here. C'mon face this...it itsn't real"

The flames rose in height and ate up the carpet toward his bed.

When Sam began to doubt Dean had really left he felt the heat flush his face.

_Maybe this isn't real...Dean _wouldn't _just leave..._

Dean and John both yelled together. "SAM!"

_"SAM!"_

"Dad..." Sam croaked. "I- I can't see you..."

_Why can I hear you...?_

Sam's panicked gaze swept the room again, the felt the fire's heat touch his skin and his heart pounded.

Suddenly the flames gave a whoosh and lit up the other side of the room and the ceiling, Sam felt a harsh grip pull on his arm's and shoulders that held him down.

The room stretched outward and the door seemed miles away.

_Surely that wasn't real...room's don't suddenly extend..._

The grip holding him applied it's weight and Sam felt he had no escape, like the room closed him in and he couldn't move.

"Dean...please come back" Sam whispered and closed his eye's. He felt the heat increase on his face and the glow of the fire through his eye lids.

"Sammy were here!" Dean reached out both his hands and cupped Sam's face. Sam's skin was hot to touch, he could feel Sam's muscles shudder.

Sam felt the cool hand caress his cheek and a familiar comforting squeeze at the base of his neck.

"Dean..." He mumbled, eye's still closed.

"I'm here Sammy...nothing bad is gonna' happen to you remember...?"

Sam nodded, Dean's voice only just audiable.

"This isn't real...it's a hallucination...it's not real Sam, your safe...I promise"

_I promise..._

The tone of Dean's voice grounded Sam and he felt the flames die down a little, felt the heat lessen.

_I promise..._

Sam heard a strange hiss like a deflating balloon and he opened his eye's.

His face suddenly felt cool, and wet...

_Was I crying?_

Dean's hand's cupped his face and he broke out into the most wonderful smile Dean had ever seen, dimples and all.

"Dean..." Sam sighed. He sagged against his brother as Dean hugged him close.

John dialed Bobby as soon as Sam came safely back and asked about after effects, if the demon was still alive...etc.

Turn's out Sammy had saved the day _and _fought off his own and very first demon. Not to mention completed his first hunt.

Successfully.

- - - - - - - -

John clapped Sam on the shoulder as they loaded up the cars.

"You did good Sammy. I'm real proud of you..."

Sam smiled up a his dad as Dean came to stand near him.

The bruises were fading and they were finally set on leaving the town for good. Just as the snow decided to really come down too.

"You wanna' ride up front kiddo'?" John asked.

Sam beamed a smile at his big brother. "I'm good. Me and Dean already picked out something to play..." Sam held out a brand new AC/DC tape for his big brother. "We haven't broken into it yet.."

John smiled at Sammy.

He could finally see it.

His Sammy was becoming a man, he was becoming 'Sam' and John was proud of what he saw.

He was damn proud.

Later that day the chorus of 'highway to hell' played out to the Winchester's very own highway, two brother's singing along.

John was _glad _Sam didn't sit up front _this _time.

**The end,**

**sorry about any spelling or grammer hun, and that it was mesh of mush...**

**:O**

**I just cannot write..LOl**

**And i've never written john before, or Sam this age well...in a full fic, so I hope it didn't do too badly x**

**Thanks!**

**SupernaturalSammy67 aka Fiona **


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